Tech innovators have yet to create a device that activates a personal defense shield to ward off would-be attackers. But a small gadget called Revolar can discreetly alert the cavalry.
A smartphone in hand means you can make an immediate call for help, but some dangerous situations leave no time to fumble with a phone. Its presence could escalate tensions. Even if you fire off a 911 call, the location info sent to dispatchers may not be specific, unless you are able to talk.
Revolar sends text messages and email alerts with a precise, real-time GPS location to a user’s list of up to five trusted contacts. It can even show your route traveled. One click signals you’ve arrived somewhere safely, two clicks is a yellow alert to your contacts that you sense danger and need their help. Three clicks, a red alert, instructs contacts to call emergency responders.
The inspiration for a magic button was conceived from the personal experiences of the co-founders. CEO Jacqueline Ros was deeply troubled by two attacks on her sister. Andrea Perdomo, Revolar’s president, grew up in Colombia, where robberies and kidnappings were so common in the 1990s, her family immigrated to the U.S. for a new and safer life.
Photo: Revolar
In the year since Revolar became available for purchase, users sent yellow alerts 10,000 times and red alerts 6,400 times, according to reporting figures from the company. The device has received positive reviews in the tech and mainstream press and among some security experts.
A new, more discreet Revolar called Instinct is currently on Indiegogo, nearing a $50,000 crowd-funding goal. The Instinct is about the size of a quarter and can give tactile feedback, vibrating when an alert has been received and opened. It can also show your route and provide step tracking that can integrate with Apple Health or Google Fit.
Revolar, which can be clipped on clothing, worn as a pendant or added to a keychain, can also activate your phone ringer to help you leave an uncomfortable date.
There are no monthly fees and the coin cell battery can last more than six months.
The Revolar Instinct will retail for $80, but it can still be pre-ordered on Indiegogo for $59. It is already in production and will be shipped out in May, according to the company.
